Inside the Closet 

What is scurrying around inside the closet of the upstairs room that grad student Gail Aynsley rents from veterinary school dean Dr. Fenner? Gail doesn't know, but she is determined to find out and Dr Fenner isn't telling.

Director:

Tom Savini

Writer:

Michael McDowell

Stars:

Fritz Weaver, Roberta Weiss, Paul Sparer

Cast

Episode credited cast:
Fritz Weaver	...	Dr. Fenner
Roberta Weiss	...	Gail Aynsley
Paul Sparer	...	Narrator (voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Patrick Macnee	...	Self - Host (only UK version)

Storyline

Gail is a university student and houses don't grow on trees; she's thrilled to find the last available housing to be affordable and sanitary and moves into the enormous house of Dr. Fenner (a professor in veterinary medicine). As the days go by though, strange occurrences begin to happen, getting more and more sinister each time. Could it be Dr. Fenner's wife, his supposed daughter? Or maybe whatever it is, it doesn't appreciate having Gail as company in the house.

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Plot Keywords:

student | closet | telephone call | slow motion scene | screaming woman | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Thriller

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Did You Know?

Trivia

The closet monster had been nicknamed "Lizzie" as a joke by the staff during the production of Tales from the Darkside: Inside the Closet (1984), most notably director Tom Savini. The puppet used in the show was referred to as this name throughout filming and "Lizzie" was later confirmed to be the monster's real name.

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Quotes

Gail Aynsley: There's something living in that closet, Dr. Fenner!

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Alternate Versions

On the DVD the music is altered for most of the episodes. the only episode that contains the original theme is the episode " inside the closet"

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Soundtracks

Tales from the Darkside Theme
Composed by Donald Rubinstein
Written by Erica Lindsay
Co-written by Donald Rubinstein

User Reviews

Middling production brought to life by a fantastic monster

INSIDE THE CLOSET is probably the best episode of TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE that I've yet watched. The storyline and execution are only so-so, as is the case for most of these episodes, and the script is below par. What saves it is a wonderful monster, a fantastic and frightening-looking animatronic model that was designed by Tom Savini, who also directed this episode.

Yes, it's a simple monster in the closet tale, there's little more to it than that, but what a monster! Great stuff. Cast wise, we get Fritz Weaver (CREEPSHOW) playing a sinister old-timer, while Roberta Weiss (THE DEAD ZONE) is the damsel-in-distress. Weaver is fine, and creepy, but Weiss is out of her depth, but when the monster looks that cool (think SALEM'S LOT levels of scary) it doesn't really matter.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 November 1984 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Laurel Entertainment Inc., Tribune Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1